Jasmin Cao

APUSH
Period 3
Selma Essay
In the movie Selma, Martin Luther king was depicted as a hero who led the march
from Selma to Montgomery in protest of discrimination, segregation, and the unfair
voting rights. Comparing the movie to the actual events, the movie was very accurate
historically and had almost all the right information. Events that were depicted most
accurately was the discrimination of blacks with voting rights and the way the marchers
were treated by whites, but several details of the march were depicted inaccurately. For
example, story and planning behind the marches and many small details.
One of the most accurate events depicted by the movie was the way the blacks
were treated by the whites in Selma and other southern cities. For example, the beginning
of the film shows Oprah being bullied by a white man when asked for the right to vote.
This scene was very close in resemblance of what had happened to the blacks when they
asked for the right to vote. The film also did a very good job portraying the violence that
took place. Another event that was portrayed very accurately was how the blacks were
treated during the march to Montgomery. For example, the film included the tear gas and
the clubs that were used in reality to beat the blacks after the two-minute warning for
them to leave by the white police officers. They were indeed trampled by horses and
beaten by whips and clubs in reality.
Many specific details were not depicted accurately in the film. For example, in the
film, it was Martin Luther King who said I dont see how President Johnson can send
troops to VietnamI dont see how he can send troops to the CongoI dont see how he
can send troops to Africa and cant send troops to Selma. ,but in reality, it was John
Lewis, an American civil rights leader who led the march from Selma to Montgomery
when Martin Luther King was in Atlanta.
Another event that was not even depicted in the film was the demonstration of the
march by others in other cities across the U.S. For example, in the film, it was never
stated that demonstrations in support of the first march from Selma to Montgomery had
occurred . In reality, after 48 hours of the first march from Selma, demonstrations in
support of the marchers of Selma were held in about 80 cities across the U.S.
An event that was depicted inaccurately was the story behind the third march
from Selma to Montgomery. In the film, Martin Luther king decided to enforce the march
planned on Bloody Sunday in 1965 against President Lyndon B. Johnsons wishes.
However, in reality, the march was carried out against Martin Luther Kings wishes by
local rights leader James Bevel.
In conclusion, the movie Selma was depicted accurately in terms of the
treatment of blacks by the whites, segregation and the discrimination in southern states.
The movie also portrayed the violence very well, but it also depicted inaccurately several
details of the march. Overall, it was mostly historically accurate and I believe that it is a
good educational movie.